Cotton-gathering machine.



No. 889,957. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. J. F. OSHAUGHNESSY.

COTTON GATHERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1907.

niarran s'rar s PATEN" JAMES F. OSHAUGHNESSY', OF NEW YORK, N.

Specification of Letters Patent.

COTTON-GATHERING MACHINE.

Patented .Tune 9, 1908.

Application filed July 8, 1907. Serial No. 382,610.

the following is a specification.

stooping or bending-over position.

This invention relates to machines for gathering cotton.

The object of the invention isto' provide a machine which is simple inconstruction and ellicient in operation for receiving the cotton asgathered by manual labor, and delivering the gathered cotton into asuitable receptacle to be transported, thereby relieving the individuallaborer from the work and toil of supporting upon his back or shoulderthe cotton as gathered by him.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the naturereferred to, whereby the manual picking operation of each individuallaborer may be facilitated and the daily capacity increased.

Other objects of the invention will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination,location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will'be more fullyhereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawing, and finallypointed out in the appended claims.

I In the operation of harvesting the cotton crop as heretofore mostsuccessfully carried out, laborers equip themselves with bags which aresuspended from the shoulders or otherwise, and such laborer proceedingalong a row of cotton stalks, gathers or picks the opened cotton fromthe stalks by hand, and deposits the cotton so picked and gathered fromthe stalks into such bag. borer proceeds with his work the accumulatingcotton in the bag increases the weight which is suspended from hisshoulders, thereby imposing increasing strain, labor and fatigue uponthe laborer besides interfering with his free movements in'the cottonpicking operation. Moreover, in order to transl'er the picked cottonfrom the hands of the laborer to the suspended bag, it is ordinarilnecessary for the laborer to raise himse f into an erect or uprightposition from a This repeated stooping and bending and raising imposesstrain and physical tear, wear and fa ligue. upon thelaborer, therebymaterially decreasing the daily capacity in amount of As the lacottonharvested by such laborer, besides imposing a physical strain, wear andfatigue which rapidly reduces the efficiency of the laborer in theharvesting of the cotton crop.

It is among the special purposes of'my present invention to provide anapparatus which is simple in construction and efficient in operation,whereby the laborer in the cotton field is to a very large extentrelieved of the physical wear, strain and fatigue imposed by thenecessity for repeatedly-bending or stooping over and raising up intoanerect position imposed by the increasing load he is required to carrywhen the cotton bag is suspended from his shoulders.

In its essential characteristics my inven tion contemplates theprovision of a vehicle supported upon wheels and adaptedto be drawn,propelled or otherwise moved through a cotton field, and along the rowsof cotton stalks, and supporting a body in the form of a receptacle into which the gathered cotton is to be delivered.

My invention also contemplates the employment of traveling buckets orreceptacles adapted to receive the cotton from the hands of the laboreras gathered or picked from the cotton stalks, and operating to deliverthe same into the body receptacle.

The construction embodying these general principles niay be varied,modified and changed throughout a wide range without departure from thespirit and scope of my invention. While, therefore, I have shown andwill now describe aconstruction enibodying the principles ofmyinvention, and which is simple and efficient for the purpose, I do notdesire to be limited or restricted to the exact details thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1, is a view in sideelevation, partly invertical longitudinal section, of a cotton gatheringmachine embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2, is a view inrear elevation of the same. Fig. 3, is a broken detailed view in sectionof a traveling carrier, 7

ported upon the axles B, C, in any suitable,

or convenient, or ordinary manner. Inpractice I prefer to elevate theaxles-B, C, and to employ Wheels D, E, of large diameter, so as toelevate the body A, to, a height of three or four .feet, whereby suchbody may readily pass over the tops of the cotton stalks as the machineprogresses through the field. The height of the body A, above theground, however, is a matter dependent largely upon conditionsencountered, and therefore my invention is not to be limited in thisrespect. The vehicle may be progressed through the cotton field andalong the rows of cotton stalks in any suitable or convenient manner,

as, for instance, by means of horse, mule or other power, but inpractice I prefer to employ a motor F, adapted to be suitably. mountedupon the frame of the vehicle, and suitably geared to an axle,preferably the rear axle. By employing a motor, the speedat which thevehicle may i be progressed through the field or along the rows ofcotton stalks maybe varied or regulated as desired and as may benecessary in order to enable the cotton pickers or laborers to keep pacewith such pro ression,'while performing their duties of piching orgathering the cotton. The machine may be directed or guided inanysuitable or convenient manner and from any suitsble or convenientpoint, the. particular mechanism for this purpose being unimportantandimmaterial, and therefore not requiring any special illustration ordescription. The rear end G of the machine is preferably inclinedupwardly and forwardly with resfiect to the length of the body A,thereof. is a travelin carrier adapted to be driven fromand operatlngover a roller J suitably "extending transversely from the sprocketjournaled at the lower end of the inclined portion G, and carryinggathering receptacles or buckets K. In this respect my invention isnotto be limited or restricted. I employ for the carrier, s rocketchains-operating over sprocket whee s J, L, and M, the sprocket wheelsor rollers J, being located, as above explained, at the lower end of theinclined portion-G, while the sprocket L, is located adjacent the upperend of such inclined'portion. The sprocket M, is "located at aconvenient point transversely of the bodyA, at

a point intermediate the ends of such bodyA.' The buckets or gatheringreceptacles K,

.may be secured to the carrier H; in any suit-' able or convenientmanner. I have shown said vbuckets or carriers fastened to lugs or barsN, carried by the sprocket chains H, and

chain at one side or edge of the body to that at the other side or edgethereof.' The car rier H, may be a'ctuated in any suitable or convenientmanner so as to travel around and be driven by the sprockets or rollersJ,

I thence up the inclined surface ofthe end G, of

the vehicle body,,,o ver the sprockets L, at the upper end of suchinclined part, thence for-,

'wardly of thebody of the vehicle over and backwardly', or towards therear end of the around sprocket M, thence rearwardly over a guide Nthence back to and around the rollers or sprockets J. The sprockets J,may be driven in any suitable or convenient manner as, for instance,from the motor-F, the axle C, or otherwise, as may be desired. The speed7 0f travelof the carrier may be regulated and varied to suit the speedof operation of the laborers or pickers in extracting or gathering thecotton from the cotton'st'alks. Such laborers or pickers deposit themanually gathered or picked cotton, and as picked or gathered from thestalks, into the pockets or buck- 'ets K, the latter elevating thecotton thus deposited therein, up the inclined rear end of the body ofthe machine, and delivering the same into the body receptacle of thevehicle, such cotton falling out of the buckets and into the i-bodyreceptacle at the point where the carrier travels around the sprocket orroller -M.

If desired, and in order to prevent the accumulation of cotton withinthe body receptacle, after being deposited by thebuckets into the bodyreceptacle, from being swept body receptacle by'the buckets, and hencecarried out of the machine with the buckets,

I propose to place an obstructing plateor partition P, transverselyacross the rear end of the body receptacle, thebucket carrier operatingover the top'edge. thereof as clearly shown. the body receptacle may bedistributed throughout the length of the receptacle bv hand or otherwiseas'may be convenient. If desired, and in order to enable the contents ofthe'receptacle -.t0,,be removed therefrom readily, I- may providefa doorR, in one or both sides thereof orelsewhere as the bottom.

It-may sometimes be desirable to se arately measurethe-product of thedays la or of each laborer,,thati s, the amount of cotton picked orgathered by each laborer during a days work, may be separated andmaintained separated from that of other laborers using the same machine,in order to ascertain "the daily capacity of each laborer and to enablecompensation for services to be based on thework accomplished by eachindividual. This is" particularly desirable since it is customary to paycott'on picking labor by the amount, by weight of cotton gathered by theindividual laborer. In order to accomplish. this result I propose to,rovide the carrier H, with aseries of rows-o buckets K, each rowextending lengthwise of the carrier, and enabling each individuallaborer to utilize or to depositthe cotton gathered or picked by himinto his own line or row'of'buckets, and I divide the body receptacle A,'nto corre sponding compartments into each; of which a separate line orrow of buckets deliver. The

separate compartments by division, or parti- If desired, the cottondeposited into body receptacle may thusbe divided into scans? open bollsthey deposit the picked or gathered cotton into the traveling bucketsand the latter deliver such cotton into the body receptacle. It willalso be seen that at the point where the manual picking operation iscarried on there is nothing to obstructthe free operation of thelaborer, and the entire space between adjacent rows of the cotton stalksmay be occupied by the laborer, thereby greatly facilitating hismovements and without obstruction.

It is obvious that the lower roller J over which the carrier operatesmay be located as near the ground as may be desired so that the cottongrowing close to the ground may be picked and deposited in the bucketswith out the necessity for the laborer repeatedly raising up to an erectposition. It is also 'obvious that" the speed of progression of themachine through the field may be regulated by the speed at which thelaborers are able to perform their work.

From the foregoing description it will beseen that I provide anexceedingly simple and efiicient cotton gathering machine wherein thecotton picking operation is carried on manually but the laborer isrelieved of much of'the toilsome fatigue wear and tear incidentt'o thelabor ofharvesting the cotton crop and hence is enabled to greatlyincrease the daily capacity of his work, and-hence to increase his dailyearnings.

Many variations and changes in the details of construction andarrangement of "parts might readily occur to persons skilled in the artand still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I do notdesire, therefore, to be limited or restricted to the exact detailsshown and described. But

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and aconstruction embodying the principles thereof, what Iclaim as new anduseful and of myown invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a machine for gathering cotton, a vehicle having a bodyreceptacle, and a ver tically inclined rear end, a carrier operatingover such inclined rear end and adapted to receive the cotton as pickedfrom the cotton stalks and to deliver the same into the body receptacle,means for operating said carrier, and means for progressing the vehicle.

2. In a machine for gathering cotton, a vehicle having a bodyreceptacle, a carrler operating vertically up the rear end thereof andadapted to receive the picked cotton and to deliver the same into saidreceptacle, a

transverse partition plate arranged insaid receptacle to prevent thedelivered cotton from being swept out by said carrier, means foroperating said carrier and means for progresslng said vehicle.

3. In a machine for gathering cotton, a

ment, means for operating said carrier and means for'progressmg saidvehicle. 4. In a machine for gathering cotton, a vehicle having a bodyreceptacle divided longitudinally into compartments, a carrier havinglongitudinal rows of buckets, each row adapted to receive? gatheredcotton from the hands of an operator and to dehver the same into acompartment, means for actuating said carrier and means for progress ingthe vehicle.

5. In a machine for gathering cotton, a vehicle having a body receptacleprovided with a downwardly inclined rear end, a roller arranged atiihelower edge of said rear end, a roller arranged at the upper edge of saidrear end, a carrier extending the transverse width of said rear end andoperating over said rollers, means for actuating said cprrier, and meansfor progressing said vehi- 0 e 6. In a ma hine for gathering cotton, a

.vehicle having a body-receptacle, a roller carried by and arranged atthe lower edge of the rear end of the receptacle, a roller carried byand arran ed at the upper edge of said rear end, a mi er carried by andarranged at a point intermediate'the ends of said receptacle, all ofsaid rollers extending transversely of the body receptacle, a carrieroperating over said'rollers, means for actuating said citrrier, andmeans for progressing said vehic e.

7. In a machine for gathering cotton a vehicle having a body rece tacle,rollers extending transverselycf sai receptacle, a carrier operatingover said rollers, and running up the rear end of said vehicle, atransversely extending partition plate arranged in said receptacleadjacent the rear end thereof, a guide roller for deflecting saidcarrier over the top edge of said plate, means for actuating saidcarrier and means for progressing said vehicle.

8. In a machine for gathering cotton, a vehicle having a bodyreceptacle, division plates arranged therein and extendinglongitudinally thereof to divide the same into compartments,transversely arranged rollers, a carrier operating over said roller andrunningup the rear end of said receptacle buckets vehicle having a bodyreceptacle divided lon gitudinally into compartments, a carrler' havingmeans to deliver to each compartcarried by said carrier and arranged inlines witnesses, on this 28th day of June, A. D..

extending longitudinally of the machine, 1907.- I each line ofreceptacles delivering into a cdm- JAMES F O,SHAUGHNESSY partment, meansfor operating said carrier, 5 and means for progressmg said vehicle.Witnesses:

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set S. E. DARBY, my hand in thepresence of the subscribing JOSEPH KLEM.

